It is well known that electronic components operating in high temperature environments are subject to performance degradation and even failure. Although the ambient environment can contribute to the thermal load of a device, the dominant thermal factor is typically the heat generated by the electronic components in the system.
Systems for testing the electrical load requirements and thermal response characteristics of electronic equipment are known in the art. Prior art systems used by engineering, design and manufacturing groups are typically comprised of banks of resistors which require physical connection and disconnection by means of soldering or jumpers to set the specified load. To reset the load in a prior art system using these resistive loads, it is necessary to disassemble the test unit, physically disconnect the resistive loads to change the power dissipation, and then reassemble the unit. This process must be repeated if the test system does not meet the desired specifications or if the testing requires data to be taken at several power levels. The inconvenience of disassembly and the inconsistent test results generated by these prior art systems makes them undesirable for repeated testing of a large volume of equipment.
It would be desirable to have a load board which is capable of testing the electrical load requirements and thermal response characteristics of electronic equipment without requiring disassembly and reassembly to change the testing parameters. It would further be desirable for a load board to be programmable to enable testing at various thermal levels while the board and system to be tested are left unattended for extended periods of time.